Getting Things Straight: Day of Pentecost

Let's get what happened on the Day of Pentecost straight once and for all! No one — apostles, disciples, or anyone else — among those in the upper room acted like they were drunk. I am so astounded by the ignorance of some who claim to be Christian that I want to ask, “Who are you people learning from? What are you thinking when you read the Bible? Do you even read the Bible? Are you even studying to show yourself approved? Are you a worker who should be ashamed at the way you handle the Word of truth?”

It was the mockers, get it clear, the “mockers” who said they were full of new wine. They were mockers! They were mockers! Read your Bible — they were MOCKERS. (Yes, I am raising my voice as I sit in front of this computer!)

I am called of God, and my spirit is grieved at the spiritual junk so many professing Christians have given themselves over to. My spirit is grieved because professing Christians are being trained by ministers who neither know Jesus Christ intimately nor His Word thoroughly. By now, some who are reading this may be getting upset and reacting against me, saying, “Well, who and what are you?” What really matters is Who God is, and Who and what He has called any of us to be and do. If you want to know what God has called me to be and to do, ask Him; study what I write. You will discover who and what I am in my writing, if you know anything about the characteristics of certain ministers and what they do. Find out Who God is, who He wants you to be, and what He wants you to do. Let’s do it together, in the unity of faith.

The emphasis in Acts Chapter Two ...

Concerning the eleven and the other disciples, is upon the following:

1. They were all with one accord in one place (v. 1);
2. A sound from heaven filled the whole house (v. 2);
3. Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared and sat upon each of them (v. 3);
4. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Holy Spirit gave them utterance (v. 4);
5. Peter, standing up with the eleven [not falling down or getting up after falling down], raised His voice [without stammering like a drunk], and said to them … [in clear and precise language] (vv. 14-40). In verse 15 he specifically said, "For these men are not drunk, as you (unbelieving mockers) suppose...

Note: A new lie of the devil about the emphasis being upon the hearing rather than the speaking is taking root and spreading like "wild fire" in places where people, ministers and professing Christians, don't really know the Word of truth.

Concerning those who came together to see what was going on:
1. When this sound occurred (the only sounds mentioned in verses one through five are found in verses two and four — one being a sound from heaven (v. 2), and the other a result of the utterance given each disciple by the Holy Spirit (v. 4);
2. Those in the multitude who came were all amazed and heard the disciples speaking in the native languages of the hearers (vv. 7-10);
3. They were hearing the disciples speak the wonderful works of God in the language of the hearers (v. 11);
4. They were perplexed at what this could mean [what they were hearing; not seeing people falling all over themselves and others like stupid drunks] (v. 12).

Concerning the mockers (THOSE UNBELIEVING MOCKERS!):
The MOCKERS said, “They are full of new wine.” The emphasis should be upon the truth that there are MOCKERS. Don’t give them too much credit because they only get one verse (v. 13). False and/or carnal and immature prophets, preachers, pastors, teachers, and disciples have taken that verse and given the devil’s message and manifestations.

Concerning those who gladly responded to everything, and specifically Peter’s clear and precise message:
About three thousand souls were added to the number of disciples (v. 41).

Concerning the follow up:
They continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers (v. 42).

Concerning you:
1. Will you deny self, forsake all, unite in faith with true and mature ministry gifts and disciples? Will you, together with them, follow Jesus and do His will?
2. Will you become a real student of all of the Word of God?
3. Will you do what is necessary to find true and mature ministers to teach you truth?
4. Will you help bring restoration, revival, and awakening?
5. Will you have your senses trained to discern the false and carnal ministers, run from and stay away from them?
6. Will you have the courage and fortitude to break free from traditions that have made the Word of God of no effect?
7. Will you preach Jesus and Him crucified, and will you learn and preach the message that He preached — the gospel of the kingdom?

Conclusion:
There were no apostles or disciples falling down, shaking, or speaking with slurred speech. There were apostles and disciples who had just been baptized in the Holy Spirit after being in one mind and accord and after hearing a sound from heaven. There were people who gathered and heard the apostles and disciples speaking about the wonderful works of God in their native languages, languages not learned intellectually by the speakers. If any preachers from any kind of groups tell you otherwise, they are lying to you. They are guilty of adding to and taking away from the Word, and they are guilty of misleading God’s people. Neither sin is small in God’s eyes! If you are listening to and believing their lies and then passing them on to others, then you are adding to and taking away from God’s Word of truth. You are adding to the problems in the body of Christ.

My prayer is that the eyes of many will be opened to see that certain things that have been happening in some segments of Western Christianity that mimic drunkenness and animalistic behavior is not of the Holy Spirit. Let’s all get things straight; let's have our senses trained to recognize good and evil, and let's be about the Father’s business of making true and holy-in-conduct disciples. The time is short! The hour is urgent! Repent for the kingdom of God is at hand!

Godly Restoration

The Need is Restoration but Some Fall Away
The Church is in great need of restoration, but not all of the Church is going to be restored. Part of the Church will fall away! Actually, part of the Church has already fallen away, and others are heading in that direction. There will be a portion of the Church, a faithful remnant, who forsakes all to follow Jesus. There are others who will continue to flounder in their present state. Hopefully, the faithful remnant will be a witness to those who are floundering and will cause some of them to wake up before it is too late.

Need Humble Intercessors, Not Prideful Attention Seekers
Prayers, supplications and intercessions by humble disciples are needed to help make restoration a reality in the Church. God is looking for humble and obedient disciples who will deny self and cry out to God for the restoration of His people, the Church. I have been involved in prayer and intercession for much of my life. I have ministered and taught on prayer for years. Many of those who are well known in these areas deceive and lead people astray rather than really helping or instructing them. Subtle pride is a spirit that works in many of those who proclaim to be "intercessors." For example, some pridefully think they hear things before God’s true prophets hear them; they think the prophet is hearing because they are praying. The bottom line truth is that they are attention seekers more than God seekers! There is a great need for intercession, but there is a great need for humble and mature disciples who make intercessions. The Church must give herself to prayer, supplications, intercessions, and thanksgivings, but, without humility, repentance, and obedience, very little, if anything will be accomplished.

Overcome Fear and Discouragement
Those who decide to follow Jesus and help restore His Church will become targets for the devil. Fear and discouragement have been two of the devil's strategies for ages. He will try to use both of them against any disciple who answers the call to help bring restoration to the Church. Remember to stay close to Jesus and keep your sword sharp! The Word of God is a mighty weapon to fight against the devil and his tactics. The Word is a sharp two edged sword and must be in our mouths; it must be released in prayer and in witness. Be encouraged! Be an overcomer! Overcome the devil and his weapons of fear and discouragement with the blood of the Lamb and the word of your testimony. Testify to the devil what the Word of God says that the blood of Jesus does for you. Fear not for Jesus Christ is with you.

Be Prayerful and Obedient
Without true obedience little will result from your prayers. There are many prayers that are not answered because the one praying is not living in obedience to Jesus Christ and His Word of truth. In a time of cheap grace and love many professing Christians will be shocked by such words, but the spiritual will hear. It is time to walk in the Spirit and cry out to God and see great and mighty things take place. It is time to see true binding and loosing. There has been so much “binding and loosing” in the last several years that if there were any real, long-lasting results, there would not be anything left to bind. It is time to wake up, repent, find and listen to true prophets of God, and forsake all to follow Jesus Christ. It is time to have purified intercession. Purified intercession flows from the heart of humble, faithful and holy disciples.

A Warning to Prepare
Always look for the glorious return of our Lord with personal and corporate preparation. Be prepared for the marriage of the Lamb in the future and be prepared for opposition on this earth. Opposition may come before the Lord returns. To American and Western Christians I say, "Don’t count too heavily on being taken out of situations that you have helped create." We have brothers and sisters all over this world who are better disciples than most American and Western Christians, and they are being imprisoned, beaten, tortured, and killed right now. It is time to wake up! There must be prayers, fastings, intercessions, supplications, but there must be repentance followed by true obedience that results in a Church who is holy as God is holy in all her conduct. There must be a Church that fulfills Ephesians 4:13-26; Ephesians 5:26-27, and John 17:17-22. There must be a Church that makes herself ready (Revelation 19:7). For this to take place, many are going to have to come out of where they are in relationship to the world and the modern Church. Be in the world as a witness but be not of the world. Be in a local Church that has Christ formed within and is following Jesus Christ and living in obedience to all of His Word of truth rightly divided.

Those with ears to hear and eyes to see must examine themselves. They must repent where needed and dedicate themselves totally to God and His purposes. They must begin to turn the world around them upside down for Jesus Christ. If they don't, there will be a shaking that turns things upside down, but it will not be pleasant for them and those around them. There is a difference in being persecuted for righteousness sake and suffering from your own disobedience. Be prepared, be obedient. Get in the gap and cry out. Help restore the Church. Go out into the harvest fields and make disciples who will be living stones in a restored Church.

Be Encouraged and Be Victorious
Be encouraged in the Lord! Be victorious in Christ! But be one who has denied self and forsaken all to take up your cross to follow Jesus the Messiah. Let’s have godly restoration that brings godly shaking! Amen.

Where Are the True Prophets of God?

"When will Christians begin to seek out and find true and mature prophets and other ministers of God who are making true and mature disciples of Jesus Christ?"

Mourning Over the Church
Blessed are those who mourn. Recently, someone who was teaching about the Beatitudes during our Wednesday night gathering shared that she was mourning over the ungodly things taking place at a church she was aware of. I responded by saying that as part of God’s call on my life, He has put in my heart a concern for the Church as a whole. The Church as a whole is far from what Jesus Christ intends for her to be and, in many cases, things seem to be progressively growing worse. Actually, things are in a crisis state and need urgent attention.

We need Christians who will respond to the Spirit of God and mourn in spirit in a way that will touch the heart of God to bring change, whether it is over part of the Church or the Church as a whole. The Lord is looking for faithful disciples who will mourn and weep over the Church as He mourned over Jerusalem. Jesus followed through on His mourning and went to the cross. Perhaps it is time to ask, “What am I willing to do?”

Seeking out True and Mature Ministers
One of the most important things that any true disciple of Jesus Christ can do is to seek out true and mature ministers of God. Specifically, they need to seek out true prophets of God! Each true disciple needs the ministry of a true and mature prophet of God. "When will Christians begin to seek out and find true and mature prophets and other ministers of God who are making true and mature disciples of Jesus Christ?

We need true prophets who will call the Church to repentance and point her in the right direction, the direction of taking up her cross and following after Jesus. We need men who are real prophets and look humble, loving, and bold, rather than men who are false prophets and look like proud, strutting peacocks! There are many people in the Christian Church who are presently following immature, carnal, and even false teachers, false ministers, and false prophets. When will Christians realize that false prophets are using the lusts of the flesh and the pride of life to hook them into feeding their greed? When will they begin to discern wolves in sheep’s clothing? When will the Church begin to seek out and find true prophets and ministers who are making true disciples of Jesus Christ? Is there a faithful remnant who are not being taken in by carnal, deceitful, greedy, and errant ministers and prophets?

Heed the Warning!
There is an ever growing need in the body of Christ for discerning believers. I recently observed some men on television who are perceived as moving in the prophetic. As I watched them, I was reminded of hearing a true, and proven, minister say that several years ago some men posing as prophets moved from country to country saying to each country that revival would uniquely begin with them and then spread. Regretfully, people in each country were taken in by these men, these false prophets as it were. Well, my discernment says that people are still being taken in. They were definitely being taken in by the ones I observed on TV. We do need true prophets, but we do not need this stuff that is currently taking place. My heart was grieved when I saw a young person in the clutches of one of the “prophets.” He was asking personal and inappropriate questions about a condition on their body. A real prophet would have been sensitive enough not to ask, and discerning enough not to have to ask. The crowd didn’t seem to have a clue; in their desperation for help, they were spiritually blind and undiscerning about all that was taking place.

I heard a minister on tape teaching on the spirit of the Antichrist. He said that the Charismatic movement was a likely place for the spirit of the Antichrist to work because it was largely ignorant of the Word of God, lawless, and crazy about spiritual gifts. He went on to say that in spite of this, he does think that the Charismatic movement is of God. This minister has since gone to be with the Lord, but I do believe his discernment was correct. I am not singling out the Charismatics just so the other parts of the Church can say I told you so. There are some issues, major issues, in all parts of the Church that God wants to address. I am looking for Baptists, Methodists, Charismatics, Pentecostals, etc., with maturity and discernment who will unite in faith as disciples of Jesus Christ and mourn and weep over the present state of the Church.

Where Are the true Prophets of God?
Many are in the wilderness or on the edge of the wilderness. Seldom are they presently well known or accepted, but they are out there for those who are willing to seek for them. If you do not want to accept that there are still true prophets of God, just cry out for real ministers who will address the issues with truth and power, and will move the body of Christ in the right direction. Let the Church be the Church! Let there be a Church with Christ formed within, united in faith, holy as God is holy in all her conduct, ministering truth, and shining for Jesus Christ.

Conclusion
When will true prophets be received, accepted, and listened to? When will enough people in the body of Christ wake up and unite in faith to be what Christ called His Church to be? Until this happens, the types of things I warned about are going to grow and spread like a cancer, or a wildfire. Will you please understand that you cannot ignore what is going on? Will you please understand that what happens in one part of the Church affects all of the Church? Will you wake up and look beyond your personal situation and/or group? God, help us, please!

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BIBLICAL APPLICATION:

"O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing. Look, your house is left to you desolate. For I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, 'Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.'" Matthew 23:37-39 NIV

A Very Precarious Time

This is an update of a Truth For Today message that was first posted on our internet ministry site on August 13, 2007.

I am seeking God to help me choose my words very carefully. In my spirit I hear that we are in a very precarious time. During this time the Holy Spirit is doing two things simultaneously: He is revealing the love, grace, mercy and truth of God; and He is warning of judgment.

I must caution those with ears to hear that not all messengers who share these two messages are true messengers of God. Some will pervert and twist these truths and cause many people to miss what God is saying about love and judgment. For example, there are many professing Christians who are being deceived and blinded by a message of cheap grace, cheap justice and cheap mercy. One of the Scriptures that they pervert and twist is Micah 6:8. Others are being taught that God is not involved in any type of judgment. There are ministers who are not living as they should and of course they do not want to think or say that God judges. The truth is that God is love and He is judge. The truth is if you love Him, you will obey Him.

I remind you again that there are Too Many Voices in the Christian Church. This means that the devil has infiltrated modern day Christianity with his ministers who disguise themselves as ministers of righteousness. (The spirit of Antichrist works in the church; don’t look for this spirit in the world). Unless one is very intimate with Jesus Christ and thoroughly knowledgeable of His entire Word, they are absolutely subject to being deceived. Many professing Christians who have bought into a cheap grace message are in for a rude awakening unless they wake up and rightly divide God's Word of truth. They need to find true and mature ministry gifts who preach the Word in season and out of season!

I encourage and exhort you to draw near to God; start now seeking Him with all of your heart, soul, mind, and strength. Lay aside all weights that have beset you! Give yourself to prayer and the study of His Word. Ask Him to give you His mind and His heart. Walk in the Spirit only! The mine fields are treacherous and only the Holy Spirit can lead you on the safe and narrow pathway. If you call on God, He will answer you and will show you the way. The Bible warns in the Old and New Testaments not to think that things will not happen because time has passed and all goes on as it has. Jesus waits for all who will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and fortress; My God, in Him I will trust.” He waits for all who will repent, deny self, forsake all and take up their cross to follow Him.

For those who forsake all to follow Him and live by His Word of truth be assured that Jesus Christ is with you in and through all things. For those who are following watered down messages the message for you is "Warning: Impending Judgment!" unless you wake up and repent. He and she who has ears to hear, let them hear!

Let the Church Be the Church

Political Parties and the Kingdom of God
No political party is the kingdom of God! No political party has the answers or solutions to the needs of society! Christians who attach themselves to a particular political party are not being very wise. I do not care who they are, what Club they lead, or how much influence they seem to exert. Can you just see Jesus Christ or Peter, John and Paul involved in politics like professing Christian leaders and Christians are today? O, it is alright to vote, but keep everything in a biblical perspective; too many professing Christians are voting color, culture and/or gender rather than by the Spirit. If God leads a Christian, a true Christian, to be involved as a candidate then praise God, but keep all things in godly perspective.

True disciples are citizens of another kingdom. It is time for those disciples to seek that kingdom and represent it by flavoring their environment and shining as lights. To do this will require restoration of a remnant Church because the overall Church is presently in great need of restoration. I say remnant because there will be a portion of the Church that will not only not be restored, but will fall away. There is a portion of the Church that is already falling away.

A Purified and Restored Remnant
If enough disciples are not restored to Jesus Christ and His biblical Way, then among other things it may eventually be better for the purifying of the Church that she loses some of her freedoms, including the freedom to vote. I do not want loss of freedoms, but I do want to see in the United States and other nations a purified, mature and united in faith Church who has Jesus Christ formed within. Some of the most dedicated disciples on earth are living in countries and/or nations where they do not even have the freedom to assemble. I want above all else to see Jesus Christ glorified by a glorious Church. I want to see a Church that is salt and light! I want to see a Church that has forsaken all to follow Jesus Christ and is seeking His Kingdom and righteousness. I want to see a Church that is built on the Word of truth without any of man's leaven being anywhere involved. The Church that does these things will be salt and light influence to society for God, whether she has the right to vote or not.

It is the Church that is the primary problem in the United States, or anywhere else for that matter. The healing of the United States begins with the Church in the United States. Because of the internal problems and division within the Church, she is adding to the problems, rather than being salt and light to the lost around her. The Church herself is the main culprit preventing the Church from being restored! The Church must repent first! Repentance, true repentance, will not take place unless there is true godly sorrow and humility. There will not be any real change in our country, or any country, until the Church changes.

The issues to be addressed and the work to be done require a unified effort by enough true disciples. For there to be true unity of faith, there must be sanctification by truth. The Church is primarily divided and not up to the task at hand because of doctrinal differences. Doctrinal differences are the main culprit for the Church not being and doing what Jesus wants of her. Doctrinal differences exist because people have changed the Word to fit their desires and purposes.

Conclusion
Most professing Christians are not dedicated enough to learn truth and identify the errors in their part of the Church. Many of those who do identify errors are not concerned enough to do something about them. Christian religious tradition is a powerful force, but it must be reckoned with by true disciples. Cheap love and cheap grace have captivated the minds and hearts of many, and they simply overlook things in the name of grace and love.

The doctrinal differences must be washed away by truth. It is a deceptive thing to talk about agreeing to disagree and agreeing on the essentials. These are all strategies to prevent repentance, humility, and the necessary sanctification of truth and real unity of faith. Spiritual pride and stubbornness are often at the root of these strategies.

Who will have ears to hear without having to go through hard times? Who will deny self, forsake all and take up their cross to follow Jesus? Who will study all of the Word of truth on a regular basis so that truth will wash away all of the junk and garbage that they have picked up from the unrestored Church and from society? Let the Church be the Church!

God’s Biblical Truth Confirmed by God’s Biblical Signs

Jesus said that certain religious people always wanted a sign. The devil and his magicians (gold dust quartets, etc.) will send signs for immature, fleshly, and carnal Christians to chase.

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. He is looking for disciples who will deny self, forsake all, take up their cross, follow Him, and minister the gospel of His kingdom in all the nations. He will confirm His Word with the accompanying signs, but they will be biblical signs.

Let's be disciples who preach Jesus and Him crucified, and preach the message that He preached which was the gospel of the kingdom of God. When true disciples fulfill His command, He will send the accompanying signs with which He promised to confirm His Word. The signs He is sending as confirmation to truth being preached are laying hands on the sick so that they are healed, and casting out demons so that people are free from the devil's bondage. He promises that, if in doing His will, you accidentally drink bad water, etc., or get bitten by a snake, He will take care of you.

Let’s look to Jesus Christ, and let’s look to His Word for truth and for the signs or type of signs that He sends to confirm His Word of truth. In order to not be deceived and led astray by false words and false signs requires that you know Jesus intimately and all of His Word thoroughly. This requires much time in prayer with the spirit and with the understanding, and it requires much time in personal study of the entire Bible on a regular basis as well as being ministered to by true and mature ministers of God. Those who do not will fall for false and/or carnal ministers who mix truth and error. The false and/or carnal ministers may astound you with some of their biblical knowledge and teaching, but they will entrap you with their error in Word and character.

The Church is in need of restoration! Get ready for godly restoration or for devilish storms! Help bring about restoration by being a true disciple, by being equipped by true and mature ministers, and by joining with like-minded disciples. Be warned that the devil wants you to spend a lot of time focused on what he and his ministers are doing. Some people like to chase fire engines; some professing Christians like to spend too much of their time focusing on false ministers and their false teaching. They justify it by saying they need help. They need you to work with true ministers and true disciples, which will provide them with light to get out of the darkness. Learn to use your time and energy carrying out the Lord’s work.

Let’s Go On to Maturity

Discernment
One of the gifts of the Spirit found in 1 Corinthians 12 is the gift of discerning of spirits (v. 10). This gift, like the other gifts, is to help the body of Christ. All local churches need one or more disciples who are gifted by the Spirit in this gift as well as in the other gifts of the Spirit. This gift enables the Church to discern good and bad spirits. It enables them to discern good and bad hearts within people (Acts 8:21). Note: This will dispel the false teaching that one cannot know what is in the heart of another. God knows what is in the heart and mind of all people, and, by the Spirit, He can reveal what He knows to anyone He chooses. It is ridiculous what non-biblically-trained disciples have been fed to keep them immature and under fleshly control. Enough is enough! Wake up! Wake up!

Not all Christians are gifted by the Spirit with the gift of discerning of spirits. All can, however, grow in the Word and have their senses trained to discern good and evil. Hebrews 5:12 to 6:2 is very relevant for all of the Church. It is greatly needed by those who call themselves Charismatics. In Hebrews 6:1-2, one can find listed the six basic teachings of true Christianity. They are the milk teachings (doctrines). Unless a disciple is thoroughly equipped in the six basic doctrines, he or she will never go on to becoming a mature disciple.

Restoration and Maturity
The Church as a whole is immature, divided and in great need of being restored to Jesus Christ and His Word. We need disciples and local churches who will be restored by returning to their first love and to rightly dividing and living by the Word. This is absolutely necessary for individuals and local churches to grow to true maturity in Christ.

The restored Church will grow to becoming a mature Church in Christ Jesus. One of the important needs for a disciple to be a living and mature stone in the Church that Jesus is building is for that disciple to be trained in the milk and in the meat teachings. Each disciple is responsible for personal and prayerful study of the entire Bible on a regular basis under the teaching of the Holy Spirit. Each disciple is also responsible for finding true ministry gifts (Ephesians 4:11) who will equip that disciple for the work of the ministry.

Wake Up
You Baptists and other denomination followers who have believed what someone wrote about there no longer being apostles and prophets need to wake up. You need to wake up and begin studying the Bible by the Spirit of God and not by someone's notes in a Bible or their writings in a book. The founding apostles and prophets are now with the Lord, but the Lord has sent apostles and prophets along with evangelists, pastors and teachers to equip you for the work of the ministry.

Stop rejecting the Lord's gifts and stop taking away from His Word. Realize that there are true apostles and prophets today. The original apostles and prophets are not here today, but there are real ones on this earth sent by God and not by man. You Charismatics, Pentecostals, Independents, Non-Denominationalists, House Church people, etc., wake up and find the real! Don’t let the devil close you off to the real because you were exposed to and even deceived and/or hurt by the false. Everybody be discerning! Find the real and reject the false.

Discernment of the difference between false, carnal, immature, and mature ministers is needed in all parts of the Church. This is especially true in what is called the Charismatic movement. It is amazing what the devil has done in this so-called movement. Disciples cannot accomplish their God-given work without the truth of God, the character of Jesus Christ, and the anointing and power of God. All of these are sorely lacking in many who call themselves Charismatics. This includes those in leadership positions! In place of truth, there is error; in place of godly character and holiness is carnality; in place of anointing by the Holy Spirit is personal charisma; in place of godly power is a counterfeit power; in place of true riches in God is mammon; many Christians have been conditioned to think that when the word “seed” is used, it means giving money.

Conclusion
Who will wake up and have their senses trained by personal study and by true ministry gifts? Who will discipline their time to study? Who will take the time and make the effort to find the real and mature apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers? Who will deny self, forsake all, and take up their cross to follow Jesus? Let's go on to maturity in Christ!